What your manual ESG workflow is really costing you
Every hour spent chasing missing client data, assembling audit evidence, or re-mapping numbers to GRI, ESRS, SASB and TCFD is an hour you are not billing. Move the sliders below to see your own numbers.
Build your ROI case in five inputs
Set your billable rate, client load, and the hours your practice currently spends per client each month on the three most time-consuming manual ESG tasks.
Net annual savings
$83,880
vs. manual spreadsheets, on the Consultant tier (USD 5,400/yr)
Hours freed / yr
446
Breaks even at
1 client
Your practice
Rate and client load
Manual hours per client, per month
What your team currently spends on each recurring task, per client
Your results
Compared against the Soilo tier below
Hours freed per year
446 hrs
across all clients, every year
Value of time freed
$89,280
hours freed x your billable rate
Extra billable capacity
+5.1 clients
new clients at no extra headcount
Net annual savings
$83,880
$89,280 saved - $5,400 licence fee
| Manual | Professional | Consultant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual licence | $0 | $2,160 | $5,400 |
| Manual hours/yr, at your inputs | 1,152 hrs | 706 hrs | 706 hrs |
| Total annual cost, at your inputs | $230,400 | $158,400 | $146,520 |
| Net savings vs. manual | - | $72,000 | $83,880 |
Methodology and sources
Time savings
Hours saved = manual hours per client per month x your efficiency assumption, summed across data-gap analysis, audit-trail documentation and framework mapping, x 12 months x number of clients. Default efficiency rates (40% / 35% / 40%) are set conservatively below the 25%+ savings that 60%+ of respondents reported for equivalent processes in the 2024 Nasdaq & C-Engage “ROI of ESG and Sustainability Software” report. Adjust them under “Advanced” to match your own experience.
Dollar value and net savings
Value of time freed = hours saved x your billable hourly rate. Net annual savings = value of time freed minus the selected tier's annual licence fee. Extra billable capacity = hours freed divided by the post-automation hours a new client would still require, i.e. how many additional clients you could serve without adding headcount.
Break-even client count
Solved as: annual licence fee divided by (12 x billable rate x weighted hours saved per client per month). This is the smallest number of clients at which the value of time saved fully offsets the licence cost, rounded up to a whole client.
This calculator uses illustrative inputs and adjustable assumptions to model return on investment; it is a planning tool, not a guarantee of savings. Consultant-tier pricing and entitlements (USD 5,400/yr, up to 10 client entities, GRI/ESRS/SASB/TCFD, audit trails and approval workflows, optional white-label) reflect Soilo's published Consultant tier. Typical ESG/CSRD consulting fee ranges and hourly rates referenced in the design of this tool are drawn from market commentary on sustainability-reporting engagements; always use your own sliders above, not reference figures, for your actual numbers.
ESG Consultant ROI Calculator - FAQ
See the ESG dashboard behind these numbers
Book a demo to see framework mapping, audit trails, and multi-client workspaces on your own data.